Page 17 of Halfway to Hell
Texas gave her a small, tired smile as he picked up his bag and stepped toward the door. Closing it behind him, he shook his head in disbelief.
“She went to her ex’s house for a toothbrush, a hundred bucks, and a Swiss cake.”
There was no other way to put it—she had to be going through some kind of mental break.
Chapter Six
Texas walked through the clubhouse,eyes scanning for Lynx. He found the brother tucked away in the clubhouse office. Knocking once, he waited until Lynx gave a quick wave to come in.
Lynx looked up, eyebrow raised. “What can I do for you?”
Texas didn’t waste time or words, “I need some tools.”
Lynx’s gaze sharpened. “What kind of tools?”
“Pliers, a blowtorch, a handheld drill with a flathead tip.”
Lynx studied him. “Do I want to know?”
Texas shrugged, careful not to reveal anything. “Just make sure the numbers are ground down and scrubbed clean.” He added, low, “Somewhere no one from the chapter would catch heat if this goes sideways.”
Lynx smirked, sarcasm dripping from his words, “how about a bucket of acid and a barrel while I’m at it?”
Texas sighed, realizing the trouble his request was causing. “A pair of tin snips will do.”
He hadn’t expected resistance. Lynx knew what Texas did on the side — the darker work away from the eyes of the Montreal Chapter. Lynx had tried to recruit him into the North Bay Chapter more than once. Their focus was different relocating women and children escaping abuse.
Lynx stood, eyes locked on Texas. He opened his mouth to ask if Texas needed help but thought better of it. “Give me twenty. I’ll see what I can find.”
He stepped into the hallway, leaving Texas alone with the weight of what was coming.
Texas went back to check on Sunday before leaving the clubhouse. He found her sitting on the bed, back against the wall, eyes fixed on the door. The way she stared — empty and waiting — told him this was going to be harder than he thought.
He shut the door quietly behind him, closing the gap between them. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Texas hesitated. How much did he want to tell her? How much could he?
The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken things neither was ready to face.
“I’ve got an errand to run. I’ll try to be as quick as I can.”
Worrying about Sunday being alone in a strange place, Texas added, “In the meantime, Lynx’s Ol’ lady will come by to check on you. Her name’s Jessikah.”
He stood up and grabbed his smaller backpack. As he reached for the door, he glanced back at Sunday. “I put some sodas,water, and those sandwiches in the fridge. Make sure you eat something.”
“Please come back,” she whispered.
Texas turned back, surprised by the sudden vulnerability. He didn’t know why he felt the need to comfort her, but he stepped forward and motioned for Sunday to come closer. When she stood, he pulled her into a tight hug.
“I promise I’m coming back, Sunday.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice fragile, fighting not to break. She didn’t want to lean on Texas like this, but right now, he was her lifeline. She barely knew anyone else here—only Lynx, and even that was just a name she’d been introduced to.
Slowly, she let go and moved back to the bed. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”
Texas gave a small nod. “I’m counting on it, Sunday.”
He opened the door and left, the sound of it clicking shut lingering in the room. Sunday sat on the bed, wishing he’d hurry.
Texas made sure to pick up the rest of his tools before heading to the bar Lynx had recommended. Parking his bike outside the North Bay Tavern, he took a moment to survey the lineup of motorcycles stretched out across the lot. The more bikes, the better—the bigger the crowd, the easier it’d be to disappear into it. And right now, he needed to vanish.
